Nodal Officer for Dimapur district to manage COVID-19 activities, Y Kikheto Sema, IAS and others during a press conference held at Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall, Dimapur on May 19. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 19
As of May 19, a total of 296 COVID-19 beds comprising of government and private hospitals have been made operational in Dimapur.
This was revealed by Nodal Officer for Dimapur district to manage COVID-19 activities, Y. Kikheto Sema, IAS during a press conference at Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall, Dimapur on May 19.
He said Dimapur had only 100 COVID beds at District Hospital as of May 12 but the authorities worked on a warfooting to increase bed capacities in private hospitals and managed to bring up the number of beds to 296 within one week.
Out of the 296 beds, Faith Hospital has 51, Nikos Hospital and Research Centre has 10, Eden Medical Center has 25, Zion Hospital and Research Centre has 6 including ICUs, CIHSR has 104 and District Hospital 100 beds.
Further, out of the 296 beds, 40 are ICU beds, 192 oxygen beds, 25 non-oxygen beds and 10 makeshift beds, the nodal officer informed.
More beds to be operational in few days
Informing that additional beds would be made operational very soon, Kikheto said Zion Hospital is expected to add 10-15 beds, CIHSR to add 48 beds, Olive Hospital to start 30 beds and Police Referral Hospital, Chümoukedima to start 30 beds within a short time. Out of this, Kikheto said that Olive Hospital would start its COVID beds operational by May 20 while Police Referral Hospital, Chümoukedima would make it operational within two days and Zion Hospital would make it operational within few days.
He also said that the 100-bedded COVID-19 hospital at Institute of Hotel Management, Dimapur is expected to be functional next week and that the bed capacity would be increased to 300 gradually.
Noting the shortage of healthcare workers, Kikheto said that CIHSR has intimated the state government to allow utilizing the services of 3rd year nursing trainees of its Nursing College. The government nod is awaited, he added.
The nodal officer appealed retired doctors, nurses and healthcare workers to come forward in assisting the authorities in fighting the pandemic.
He said COVID related deaths during its 1st wave in Dimapur was 40 while from January 2021 till May 18, the deaths in Dimapur stood at 118 thus bringing the total COVID related deaths in Dimapur to 158.
Citing reports that certain villages and localities were not allowing the bodies of COVID victims to be brought to their jurisdiction, the nodal officer said such mindset should be changed. “In fact, it is safer to handle bodies since they are wrapped and sanitised rather than mingling with COVID positive persons. As Christians, we should come forward and help our own people,” he added.
Kikheto urged the citizens not to panic since the authorities were trying its best to fight the pandemic with all available resources. He thanked the frontline workers particularly the healthcare workers and urged the public to appreciate their efforts. The nodal officer also lauded various individuals and organizations for assisting the authorities in cash and kind in fighting the pandemic.
Entry points being monitored
Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur, Rajesh Soundararajan, IAS who is also the chairman of District Task Force for COVID-19 said that all major entry points such as New Field Check Gate, Dillai Gate and Airport are being monitored round the clock with on-spot COVID testing facility. He said there are no incoming passengers at Dimapur Railway Station since there is no stoppage in Dimapur as of now. Rajesh informed that 90% of passengers at Airport have been producing COVID negative reports while those without reports are tested on the spot. As compared to daily incoming flight passengers averaging 350-400 persons during the last two weeks, the number has come down to 150 passengers these days, he added. He said entry through major check gates have also been comparatively reduced and that the Task Force is focusing on testing, tracing, isolating, treating and vaccination.
The DC said 89% of patients in Dimapur during the second wave are asymptomatic while 7% are mild and moderate and 4% are severe. He acknowledged the support received from all the stakeholders and private hospitals adding that oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators have been provided to private hospitals taking in COVID patients. The DC further informed that the Department of Health & Family Welfare would be providing additional oxygen cylinders to Dimapur.
Law and order: Decline in registered cases
On the law and order front during the current pandemic, Commissioner of Police, Dimapur, Rothihu Tetseo said criminal registered cases have come down and overall situation was under control.
However, the CP said misuse of social media by individuals was eating up the time of police personnel in investigation and urged citizens to responsibly use social media.
He informed that a total of 6500 traffic violators have been penalized during the current lockdown and collected a total fine amount of Rs 7 lakh. “It is a good achievement for the police but we do not appreciate it since violating lockdown measures during pandemic is not a good sign,” he said and urged citizens to exercise utmost restraint.
He also said around 5000 people have been reprimanded for non-FIR cases such as not wearing masks. The CP informed that two police personnel posted in Dimapur have succumbed to COVID-19.
Responding to queries from media persons on whether colonies and villages were authorized to impose lockdown within its jurisdictions, the CP said local authorities were not allowed to enforce such lockdowns. He also informed that signatories of a circular issued by a particular village council allowing opening of liquor shops within their jurisdiction have been charged under relevant sections of the law and that they are currently on bail.
Meanwhile, the nodal officer, Kikheto lauded the press and media fraternity for their services and added that he personally regarded the media fraternity as frontline workers.
